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KUALA LUMPUR, July 5 — A total of 6,640 websites were blocked for violating the Communications and Multimedia Act 1998 and other laws since 2008, the Dewan Rakyat was told yesterday.

Deputy Minister of Multimedia and Communications Datuk Jailani Johari said the websites blocked include fake bank websites and for copyright infringement, pornography and insulting the royal institution.

“Up to June, 29 cases are under investigation including websites which insulted the Yang di-Pertuan Agong, royal institution and the Sultans,” he said when replying to Datuk Bung Mokhtar Radin (BN-Kinabatangan).

Bung Mokhtar asked about action taken against websites which threw insults and slander which could disrupt the political stability of the country.

Jailani said the Malaysian Communications and Multimedia Commission (MCMC) acted on reports of abuse of social networking sites such as Twitter and Facebook which made threats, insults or touched racial sensitivities.

“Under section 263 (2) of the Act, the licensee is required to help prevent social media-related offences or violation of related laws including blogs with comments of seditious or defamatory nature.

“We need complete information about the account holder such as address URL, print screen and proof to enable the matter to be investigated and action taken.”

Jailani said there are 13 million Facebook users in Malaysia of whom 53.9 per cent are men and 46.1 per cent women.

Replying to a supplementary question from Datuk Makin @ Marcus Majigoh (BN-Putatan), he said existing laws to deal with cyber crimes in the country were sufficient and specific laws or a special tribunal were unnecessary.

“The government via the Malaysian Communications and Multimedia Commission always co-operates with other law enforcement agencies in enforcing laws on the abuse of social media and the Internet.

“The Communications and Multimedia Act 1998 is not the only law applicable for the purpose. Other laws are the Sedition Act 1948, Defamation Act 1957 and the Penal Code,” he added. — Bernama